Recipes

Every recipe I post I have prepared in my own kitchen. All the food I prepare and post to this blog will be whole food. Some recipes I borrow from blogs, friends, websites, or magazines; some recipes I alter to turn them into "real" food; some recipes I create myself. Enjoy!


Cheesy Tomato Basil Toast (recipe my own)
This dish is just as simple as it looks and sounds. We had this for lunch paired with a sliced purple haze carrot and half a green apple each. Because the ingredients are all local and fresh with no preservatives (well, except the bread :/ ) the flavors are incredibly intense.

• 2 slices 100% whole wheat bread (no such thing at the grocery store, at least find some with no HFCS)
• 1 tomato, thinly sliced
• 3 slices cheese (I used sharp cheddar, can use mozzarella)
• 2-3 fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 2-3 sprigs fresh parsley, chopped

1. Turn the oven broiler on high. When heated, toast bread under broiler until slightly firm, about 3-4 minutes. Remove bread from oven.
2. Layer 2 slices tomatoes on each slice of bread. Lightly sprinkle tomatoes with salt and pepper.
3. Place cheese slices on top of tomatoes.
4. Place in oven 3-4 minutes longer until cheese has melted and bread has become crispy.
5. Remove from oven and garnish with basil and parsley.

Cheesy Tomato Basil Toast

Whole Wheat Pancakes with Strawberry Greek Yogurt (www.100daysofrealfood.com)
We love the whole wheat pancake recipe from Lisa Leake's website. I make these pancakes fairly often. Since we have an abundance of fresh blueberries, I added a cup to the batter. While I was making pancakes, Michael fried us each an egg- organic, seasoned with only salt and pepper. A handful of fresh fruit rounded out the meal.

Find the whole wheat pancake recipe here.

Whole Wheat Blueberry Pancakes

One essential ingredient to eating pancakes (or so I always thought) is syrup. We are now only eating 100% pure maple syrup, and for those of you who have asked if it's more expensive to eat a whole food diet, I will admit that 100% pure maple syrup is one of the most expensive items I buy. At our supermarket, 8 oz. of maple syrup (the real stuff) is anywhere from $7- $10. This is not an item that is in our budget very often. It is now more like a luxury!

Strawberry Greek Yogurt Sauce

Not to be deterred from our blueberry pancakes, I decided to try a sweetening trick. My mind went to when I was a little girl. My sister and I loved to eat strawberry cream cheese on our bagel or toast. So, I thought, why not try to recreate that flavor using ingredients that I have.
Strawberry Greek Yogurt Sauce

• 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup strawberry fruit spread (we used homemade from my Mammaw)

1. Simply stir and viola! Top your pancake with a creamy, sweet sauce that is sure to make you forget all about maple syrup. Even Michael loved it!

Warm Oriental Pasta (adapted from "Meatless, Nutritious, Enjoyable," a cookbook printed in 1974 given to me from Michael's grandmother)
This dish is warm, salty, sweet, spicy, and crunchy all at the same time. I love playing with textures and contrasting flavors in my food. This meal tastes like a toe-tap on your taste buds.

• 2 cups whole wheat pasta
• 1 cup raw broccoli
• 1/2 cup kale (I got some gorgeous blue Italian kale from our farmer's market)
• 1 cup fresh snap peas or frozen peas
• 1 can mandarin oranges (unless you take the time to peel and segment a fresh mandarin orange, I beg you to remember to PLEASE drain and rinse the sugary syrup from the mandarin oranges before using them in this dish)
• slivered almonds
• red pepper flakes

1. Cook and drain pasta according to directions.
2. Add vegetables to pasta and toss together. I like crunchy vegetables, so I do not cook mine before adding them to the pasta. The warmth from the noodles wilts the kale and softens the broccoli and peas perfectly. If you do like soft vegetables, you could roast them in the oven rather than sauteing them so the pasta won't be too oily.
3. Add sauce and red pepper flakes. Toss to coat.
4. Just before serving, sprinkle with slivered almonds.

For the sauce:

• 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
• juice of one lemon
• 2 tbsp local honey
• 1/2 cup reserved pasta liquid

Warm Oriental Pasta

Saturday Night Nachos (recipe my own)
I whipped these up very quickly one Saturday night. It was especially quick since Michael helped grate the cheese and top the chips! We demolished ALL of them; they were that good. Typically nachos are highly processed and overloaded with grease. Not so with these. Minimal cheese and roasted rather than sauteed veggies keep these nachos crispy and healthy.

• Whole food chips (Yes, they do exist. Tostitos Simply Natural Blue Corn Tortilla chips have but 3 ingredients: whole organic blue corn, sunflower oil, sea salt. If I don't buy corn chips, then I make sure there are only 3 ingredients. I have found some made with potatoes, sunflower oil, and sea salt. I try not to buy chips that have been made with corn oil, or canola oil, for other reasons that are too long to talk about here.)
• Homemade Crowd-Pleasing Salsa (see recipe below)
• 1 cup black beans
• 1 cup freshly grated cheese ( I used sharp cheddar)
• 1/2 cup each chopped bell peppers ( I used orange and yellow this time), onion, and mushrooms.
• 1 tbsp cumin

Topped with Crowd Pleasing Salsa

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Lay chips flat on baking sheet; season with cumin; bake 3-4 minutes.
3. Layer chips with black beans, chopped peppers and mushrooms, and cheese.
4. Bake in oven 5-10 minutes, or until warm through, veggies have softened, and cheese has melted.
5. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

Saturday Night Nachos sans Crowd Pleasing Salsa

Blueberry-Dijon Chicken (adapted from Taste of Home magazine)
It's blueberry season! In addition to the fresh blueberries we got the other day, I found a small jar of organic wild blueberry fruit spread (Full Circle brand). This fruit spread has organic blueberries, organic Fair Trade cane sugar, natural apple pectin, ascorbic and citric acid- that's all! I also discovered other flavors of this Full Circle fruit spread at our grocery store, including strawberry, apricot, and raspberry. This dish is easy, tasty, and has a unique sweet/spicy flavor.

• 4 pieces organic chicken (I used thighs, I also buy Organic Smart Chicken)
• 1 tbsp organic butter (again, the brand I use is Full Circle)
• 1/2 c organic blueberry fruit spread
• 1/3 c cider vinegar
• 1/4 c fresh local or frozen thawed organic blueberries
• 3 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp fresh basil

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Heat butter over medium heat; salt and pepper chicken.
3. Saute chicken in butter 5-6 minutes per side until skin is brown and crisp.
4. Place chicken in oven and bake 20 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, in saucepan combine fruit spread, vinegar, blueberries, and mustard. Bring to boil; stir until thick.
6. Pull chicken from oven with about 5 minutes left on timer, top with blueberry sauce, return to oven.
7. Garnish with fresh basil. Serve extra blueberry sauce on the side.

Clockwise: Blueberry Dijon Chicken; Lemon Butter New Potatoes; Sqush, Kale, Mushroom Saute

Lemon Butter New Potatoes
The star of this show is the nutmeg. I had never thought about adding nutmeg to my potatoes, but it is delicious. It gives the buttery potatoes a warm, nutty flavor; the parsley adds just the right amount of herb taste; the lemon juice brightens all the flavors and makes them pop.

• 12-20 small red potatoes
• 3 tbsp organic butter
• 3 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp zested lemon peel
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• salt, pepper, and parsley to taste

1. Cover potatoes with water and boil 15-20 minutes or until they can be pierced with a fork. Turn off heat.
2. Drain the potatoes, then return them to the pot.
3. In the same pot as the potatoes, add butter, lemon juice, lemon peel, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Stir until the butter has melted and has coated all the potatoes.
4. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Whole Wheat Macaroni and Cheese (adapted from www.100daysofrealfood.com)
This is a creamy, warm, zesty, and simple dish to make. I typically make this on Wednesday nights that we have Bible study. It's quick to put together and can accommodate pretty much any veggie you wish to include.

• 2 cups whole wheat noodles
• 2 tbsp organic butter
• 2 tbsp whole wheat flour
• 1 cup organic milk
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1/2 can diced organic tomatoes with green chilies, drained (the brand I buy is Muir Glen)
• Any veggie you want to blend. I've done frozen peas, broccoli florets, kale, and other varieties.

1. Cook noodles according to package.
2. Meanwhile, melt butter in pan over medium heat.
3. Whisk in flour and keep whisking for about 1-2 minutes until the roux starts to darken.
4. Turn heat down and quickly whisk in milk. Turn heat back up and keep whisking until the mixture start to thicken and all lumps dissolve.
5. Stir in grated cheese until it melts.
6. Add cheese sauce to cooked, drained noodles. Add drained tomatoes, peas, broccoli, kale, or vegetable of choice. Toss to coat. Serve warm.
7. Note: I usually do not cook the vegetables before I add them to the cheese and noodles because I like my veggies crunchy. The heat from the mac and cheese will thaw the peas, wilt the kale, and slightly soften the broccoli without additional cooking (or cleaning up an extra pan!)

Crowd Pleasing Salsa (recipe my own)
This salsa is so flavorful and very healthy when made with organic, local, or fresh ingredients. I've served it with corn chips, topped on baked chicken, and mixed with black beans. Eat as much as you want- guilt free!

• 4 cans organic tomatoes with green chilies (the brand I buy is Muir Glen)
• 2 tbsp cilantro
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp honey
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Blend all ingredients in the food processor and enjoy! All spices can be adjusted depending on how you like your salsa. I usually don't measure mine except in the palm of my hand, so these are estimates.

Creamy Cucumber Yogurt Dip (adapted from www.mypyramid.gov )
This dip keeps well in the fridge. I made this dip and we ate it along with fresh raw vegetables for about a week. Our favorite dipper was the fresh carrots from our local farmer's market! This is also a great alternative to store bought ranch, which is usually leaden with highly processed ingredients.

• 2 large cucumbers
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp fresh dill

1. Peel, seed, and grate one cucumber. Make sure to squeeze out the water from the grated cucumber or your dip will be too runny. There is a surprising amount of water in a cucumber!
2. Mix grated cucumber with yogurt, sour cream, lemon juice, dill, salt, and pepper. Chill for 1 hour.
3. Eat with fresh carrots, the other cucumber, cherry tomatoes, broccoli florets, or any other of your favorite veggie!

Sweet Potatoes with Warm Black Bean Salsa (adapted from Taste of Home magazine)
Usually sweet potatoes are eaten with lots of butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and marshmallows. Sweet, sweet, sweet... I saw this idea and knew I had to try it for a more spicy, savory take on the sweet potato. This is a great option as a main dish for Meatless Mondays. It is filling and nutritious.

• 4 medium sweet potatoes
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained or 2 cups cooked dry black beans
• 1 can organic crushed tomatoes with green chilies
• 1 tsp cumin
• 2 tbsp cilantro
• 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

1. Wash sweet potatoes. Cook in oven at 425 degrees for about 1 hour.
2. In small saucepan, combine black beans, tomatoes, cumin, cilantro, salt, and pepper until warmed through and flavors have married- about 10 minutes. Cool slightly.
3. Combine Greek yogurt with the black bean salsa. (or serve on the side)
4. When potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, split open and spoon salsa over the top of the potato.

Swish Chard and Kale Saute (recipe my own)
A few people have been asking me lately how to eat/prepare kale. I bought my first bunch of kale about a year ago, and it has been a regular member of our refrigerator ever since. I've shared a recipe for sweet and tangy kale before, but this is a more savory taste. Combine it with another what-do-I-do-with-this veggie- Swiss chard- and you have a tasty, quick side dish.

• 1 bunch Swiss chard
• 1 bunch kale
• 1/4 chopped onion
• 1 minced garlic clove
• 1 tbsp sun dried tomatoes
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes

Saute onion and garlic in extra virgin olive oil over med-low heat. Add chard, kale, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper; let wilt several minutes. Add sun dried tomatoes and heat until tomatoes are warm. Serve immediately while still warm.

Homemade Pizza and Side Salad with Tangy Dill House Dressing
This meal doesn't take very long, especially if you have already prepared the pizza dough and can pull it from the freezer or the fridge. Even if you make the dough at the time you want to eat, the process is simple and most of your time is spent waiting for the dough to rise.

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust (From www.100daysofrealfood.com )

• 1 cup warm water
• 1 package dry active yeast
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cups whole wheat flour

1. Drop yeast into warm water and let foam for a few minutes.
2. Pour salt and olive oil into yeast mixture and stir.
3. Combine flour and yeast mixture in mixer with a dough hook and mix until the ball of dough chases itself around the bowl. If the dough is too dry, add warm water 1 tsp at a time or vice versa add flour 1 tsp at a time if too wet.
4. Knead dough into smooth ball. Place under plastic wrap and let rise at least 1 hour. At this point the dough can be frozen or refrigerated over night.
5. Use a rolling pin to roll into desired shape. (Although I have to admit that my pizza crusts never roll into a perfect circle!)

Top your pizza with organic tomato sauce, cheese of your choice, and any vegetable you have in your fridge. Suggestions that I've used before: peppers (any color), onions, sun dried tomatoes, spinach, kale, black olives, garlic, pineapple, bacon, organic chicken, jalapenos, broccoli, fresh basil, parsley, dill. Bake pizza at 500 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Tangy Dill House Dressing (recipe my own)

• 1 tbsp plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp mayo
• 1 tsp fresh dill
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste (we don't like a lot of garlic so only one or two shakes is plenty for us)

Combine and serve with fresh, local, seasonal salad greens! If you like your dressing tangy, add more yogurt; or add more mayo if you like it sweeter.